Label strip feeding means for printing presses



I5 Sheets-Sheet l /NVENTQ/e Gear e gne# 1 0( r Cam/ ATTORNEYS G. L, BIGNELL Oct. 6, 193,1.

LABEL STRIP FEEDING MEANS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Oct. 6, 1931. Q B|GNELL 1,826,498

LABEL STRIP FEEDING MEANS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Dec. 15. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR George L. l'g/veN V' Caz/v6 A 'TTORNE Y J Ot. 6, 1931. G. 1 BIGNELL 1,825,498

LABEL STRIP FEEDING' MEANS FOR PRINTING PRESS-ES Filed Dec. 15, 1929 3 SheebS-Shet 3 1f 11 14 Z151l NVENTOR Geoff e 51' 06V/ TTORNEY Patented Oct, 6, S1931 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE GEORGE L. BIGNELL, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN; AssIGNon To THE ROSE PATCH ANDv LABEL oo., or ern-AND RAPIDS, iszrIonrcrANv LABEL STRIP FEEDING MEAN S FOR PRINTING PRESSES Application led December'l, 1929. Serial 170,413,743.

. .The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a feeding means for labels which can be easilyadapted to machines printing on'e or a plurality of strips.

Second, to provide a feeding neans which is automatic and positive in operation.

Third, to provide a means for adjusting the stroke of the feeder to various sizes of labels being printed.

Fourth, to provide means whereby the printed strip or. label/is held under tension during the return stroke of the feed jaws.

Objects pertaining to details and econoi mies of construction and operation will appear from the detailed description to follow.

A machine embodying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my improved feeding means for printing strips of labels or the like, the printing machine being shown in dotted lines.`

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the feeding means for the label strips, the feed jaws being in initial position.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the irregular plane shown by line 3 3 of Figs. 2 and 4, showing the feed carriage and feed jaws and the reciprocating feed means.

Fig. 4 is a reduced vertical cross section on line 4 4 of Figs. 2, 3 and 8.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view of parts of the feeding means taken from the lower left hand of Fig. 2 the feed jaws being in initial position' and the cam mechanism of the feed jaws indicated by dotted lines. f

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional elevation taken on the irregular plane indicated by line 6 6 of Figs. 2 and 4 with t-he feed jaws open, the cam lever being shown in part by dotted lines at the open point'v and contacting the trip stop.

Fig. 7 is a sectionalview similar to Fig. 6 with the jaws in closed or tripped position, the cam lever in tripped position being shown by ldotted lines and at thepoint of completing the tripping action which permits the jaws to close with a quick action.

on said shaft 8.

Fig. 8 is a reduced detail longitudinal sectional elevation taken'on line 8 8 of Figs. 2 and 4 showing the feed jaw actuating means, the jaws being in full lines.

The parts of the drawings will be identified by numerals of reference which are the saine in all the views.

1 is the printing press, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, of an inverted die and plate type, with a double plate and die for printing a plurality of label strips. 2 is the double counter actuated in the usual way. 3 is the inverted die. 4 are the plurality of label strips, supplied from the double reel 41.

5 is the slotted guide for the label strips secured to the base of the printing machine. 6 is the guide pulley for the label strips at the extreme right 'hand end of the travel of such strips. 7 .is a double reel for rewindingthe printed label strips mounted by a slip connection on shaft 7l. 8 is the main shaft driven by the sprocket 81 through the chain 82 driven by the sprocket wheel 83 mounted on the drive shaft 84. Clutch 85 on shaft 8 throws the machine in and out of gear.

9 is a pulley having a friction driving disc 91 (see Fig. 2)- held yieldingly in contact 92-by thrust collar 93 .belt 94 from pulley 9 drives the pulley 95 on shaft 71 for winding the printed label strip at the desired speed.

therewith by sprin The reels 7 have la friction slip connection on shaft 7l which keeps th'e label strip taut on both reels by driving the shaft 71 at a. sufciently high speed.

sorv

10 is the frame of theifeed machine. 101

are slideways and 102 is the feed carriage reciprocating therein. 11 is an adjustable jaw bracket having set screw 111 for securing the same adjustably to the feed 'slide 102, see details in Figs.'2, 3 and 7. 122 are the side flanges on bracket l11 to support and guide the jaws 12 rand 13. 12 is the/ upper jaw and 13 is the lower jaw, which jaws terminate in hinge loops121 and 131 forming the hingej members. 122 isthe eX- tension of the upper jaw 12 having a longi-v tudinal rib 123. 132 is the extension, of the lower jaw 13, having a longitudinal groove 133 therein corresponding to and ycoacting with the rib 123 of extension 122.

With this jaw arrangement the rib fits into the longitudinal groove and insures a positive grip on the label strip, thereby preventing any slipping that would likely occur if the jaw faces were flat. By the use of this feeding means a plurality of labels can be printed. The feeder produces a step by step action, so that labels can be printed on the strip.

14 is the hinge pin in loops 121 and 131 which is also disposed through the flanges 112 for supporting said jaws. The jaws are held yieldingly closed by spring pressure (see Figs. and 6).

15 is a. screw bolt secured to the lower jaw 13, and projecting through ai slotted hole in the upper jaw 12. 151 is a compression spring surrounding the screw 15. 152 is a thumb nut on the screw bolt 15 for adjusting the tension of the spring 151 and thus clamping the jaws 12 and 13 together when f-eeding.

The jaws are open on the return stroke of i' the feeder and close'to engage the label strips on reaching initial position. The jaws in each instance are controlled by a cam and trip.

16 is a rockshaft pivoted through the flanges 2 112 .and disposed between the jaws 12 and 13. 161 is an elliptical cam mounted-thereon. The cam surface 162 coacts with the inner surface of the jaws to ope-n them and the flat ends 163 act to lock the jaws open, until tripped by lever 166. i

164 is a screw stop for the cam when the jaws are open. 165 is a hand operating lever mounted on the rock shaft 16. 166 is the cam actuating lever adjustably mounted on the rocksha'ft 16 and having a friction roller 167 at its outer end to strike against the stop| screw 21.

| 17 1s the reciprocatlng jaw actuating bar carried by the guides 171 and 172. 173 is the spring, one end secured to the bar and the other end at 174 secured to the base fra-me 10 to hold the structure yieldingly against its actuating the cam (see Fig. 8). 18 is the cam f follower arm mounted on the reciprocating bar 17. l19 is the ycam secured to the drive shaft 8 to coact with the arm 18.

20 is a stop fiXedly mounted on the bar 17.

I 21 is an adjustably screw stop mounted on the bar 17 by suitable bracket to coact with the jaw trip lever on the completion of the return stroke of the reciprocating bar. The carriage 102 is reciproca-ted by the cam action.

22 is a cam (see Fig. 3) secured to the drive shaft 8 to operate the cam follower 221 which consists of a .pair of diverging arms 222 having rollers 223 pivoted thereon. 23 is a rocker arm slotted at 231. 24 is the rockshaft which carries the cam follower and rocker arm.

232, 232 are a pair of adjustable arms, slotted at 233 and secured by bolt 234 for longitudinal adjustment, 235 is the shouldered screw 26 is the link connection of lever 25 to the projecting lug 27 on the feed slide 102. 28 is the slot in the frame through which the projecting lug 27: reciprocates. 29 (see Fig. 2) is the return spring for the feed carriage 102 secured to the support 10 at one end and to the slide 102 by the arm 291. The labelholding j aw means is identical with the label feeding jaw means and is numbered the same with a prime added.

These holding jaw-s 12 and 1'3 are operated automatically by stop cam means. 30 is a reciprocating actuating. slide bar. 301 are guides for the same. 31 is a cam follower finger on said bar 30, see Figs. 2 and 5. 32 is a cam coacting .with the follower and mounted on the main shaft 8. 33 is a spring Yholding the slide bar 30 and its cam follower- 31 yieldingly against the cam 32. (Sec Fig.

n 34 is a fixed stop -secured to the reciprocating bar 30. (See Figs. 2 and 5.) 35 is an `while the feeder is on its return stroke and releases the same only during the feed motion. This is accomplished by the intermittent action of the cam 32 on the shaft 8 coacting with the follower 31 operating the reciprocating bar 30, see Fig. 5. The adjustable stop 35 secured thereto operates the jaw actuating rocker arm 166', thereby closing the jaw for holding the label strip on the return stroke of the feed jaw and releasing the same only als the label strips are fed forward. The fixed stop 34 secured to the reciprocating bar 30 operates the rocker arm 166 'to open the jaw, which is ltimed to release the same during the feeding motion, allowing the printed strip to pass therethrough by the forward movement of the feed jaws.

While this feed mechanism has been shown in conjunction with reels, it can be vadapted to deliver the strips to a cutter and they may come from any convenient package or container, although, of course, the delivery reel is much to be preferred.

The feed carriage may be otherwise reciprocated and the benefit of the jaw structure secured.l However, in the entire combination the parts are adapted the one tothe other and fittogether. i

I desire .to claim the entire'specifie c'ombination and also to' claim the invention broadly in its 'combination and parts as point-ed out in the ap ended claims.

Having thus descri ed byinvention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pattent, is u 1.. In a printing and feeder means for label strips', the combination of plural supply reels j forglabel strips with guide adapted to deliver to a power printing press, a frame for the feeding means with a driving shaft. cam shaft and gear, a plurality of rewind rolls for the printed strips, a transverse guide roll ada pt, ed to receive the plural strips from the press and deliver to the rewind rolls, a driven shaft J a therefor on which the rewind rolls are frictioiially mounted to slip under tension, a pair of feedjaws with transverse extensions across said label strips to engage and feed the same step by step, a reciprocating feed carriage for` said jaws, a cam means for actuating said feed carriage comprising a cam on the cam shaft, a 'follower with bifurcated arms to embrace the said cam, a rocker arm connected to said cam follower, a lever arm pivoted to the frame with pitman for actuating said feed carriage, an adjustable pitman between lthe rocker arm and the said actuating lever' foi'.ieciprocating said carriage, a jaw actuating cam with vfiat ends disposed between the said feed jaws" to open the saine, a trip lever for saidcam to open the said jaws and to trip to close the same, a slide with stops f disposed to act upon said lever at the end of actuating thegsame, the said cam having fiat the stroke of said feed carriage one stop timed to opensaid feed jaws ,at the end ofthe said stroke and one adjustably ,timed to trip Vto close the aws at the beginning of thefstroke, apair ofholding jaws fixed on the said frame -.with transverse extensions across the said A label stripsiii advance oftheffeed jaws, a cam with trip lever between said jaws for dtened ends to' lockf the jaws in open position, a slide with stops to actuate said cani lever,

- one stop timed to open the jaws during the i lsaid jaws for the feedingoperation'and close 1 the same during'the return, whereby the label strips are held under tensionfby theholding feeding movement and al second timed tol close the same at the end ofthe movement, and acannfor actuating said slide to open the jaws during: thereturn of the feed jaws an(A are delivered under tension step by step be- -tween said-jaws through the press andwound Y up automatically thereafter.`

2, -In a printing and feeder means for la f belstrips,`the combination of plural supply reelsfor label strips with rguide adapted todeliver to a power printing press, a frame lfor the feeding means with a driving shaft, .l cam shaft and gear, a plurality of rewind .arm connected to said cam follower, a lever arm pivoted to the frame with pitman for actuatingsa'id feed carriage, an adjustable pitman between the rocker arm and the said zio actu'atinglever for reciprocating said carriage,

a jaw actuating cam with flat ends disposed between the said. feed jaws to open the same, a trip lever for saideam to open the said jaws and to trip to close the same. a slide with stops disposed toactiipon said lever at the end of the stroke of said feed carriage, one stop timed to open saidfeed jaws at the end of the said stroke and'one adjustably timed to trip to close the jaws at the beginning of the stroke,l and a. pair of holding jaws fixed on the .said frame with transverse extensions across the said label strips in advance of the feed jaws with actuating means timed to hold the strip during the return of the feed jaws.

3. In aprinting and feeder means for label strips, the combination of plural suppl reels for label strips with guide adapted to i, eliver to a power printing press, a frame for the feeding means with a driving shaft, cani shaft and gear, a plurality of rewind rolls for the printed strips, a transverse guide roll adapted to receive the plural strips from the pressand deliver tothe rewind rolls, a driven shaft therefor o1`i which the rewind rolls are frictionally mounted to slip undertension, a pair of feed jaws with transverse extensions across said label strips to engage aiid feed the same step by step, a pair of holding jaws :fixed on the said frame with transverse extensions across the said label strips in advance of the feed jaws, a cam with trip lever between said jaws for actuating the same. the said cam having flattened ends to lock the jaws inl open position, a slide with vstops to actuate said cam lever, one stop timed to open the jaws during the feeding movement and a secondtiied'to close thesame at the end of the movement, and a cani lfor. actuating Isaid slide to open the saidv jaws for the feed-Y ing operation and close the saine during the return, whereby the label strips arrI held undici' tension by the holding jaws during the return of the feed jaws andare delivered ICJ under tension'step by step between said jaws through the press and wound up automatically thereafter.

4. In a printing and feedernieapsv for label strips, the combination of plural supply reels for l'abel strips with guide adapted Ito deliver to a power printing press, aframe forthe feeding means with a driving shaft, cam shaft and gear, a plurality of rewind rolls for the printed strips, a transverse guide roll adapted to receive the plural strips from the press and deliver to the rewind rolls, a driven shaft 'therefor on which the rewind rolls are fric-- tionally mounted to slip under tension, a pair of feed jaws with transverse extensions across said label strips to engage and feed the same step by step, and a pair of holding j aws fixed on the said frame with transverse extensions across the said label strips in advance of the feed jaws.

5. In a printing and feeder means-for label strips, the combination of means for dehvering a label strip through af power printingY press, a pair of `feed jaws with transverse extensions across said label strips to engage and feed the same step by step, a reciprocating feed carriage forsaid jaws, a cam means for actuating said carriage comprising a cam on the cam shaft, a follower with bifurcated arms to embrace the said cam, a rocker arm connected to said cam follower, a lever arm pivoted to the frame with pitman for :actuating said feed carriage, an adjustable pitman between the rocker arm and the said actuating lever for reciprocating said carriage, a jaw actuating cam with Hat ends disposed between the said'feed jaws to open the same, a, trip lever for said cam to Open the said jaws and to trip to close the same, a slide with stops disposed to/'act upon said lever at `the end of the strokel of said feed carriage, one stop 'timed to open said feed jaws at the end of the said stroke. and one adjustably timed to trip to close the jaws at the beginning -of the stroke, 40 a pair of holding jaws fixed on the said frame with transverse extensions across the said label strips in. advance of the feed jaws, a cam with triplever between said jaws for actuating the same, the said cam having flattened ends to lock the jaws in open position, a slide 'with stops to actuate said cam lever,"one stop timed to open thejaws during the feeding movement and a second timed to close the ysame at the end of the movement, and a cam 50 for actuating said slide to open the said jaws for ythe feeding operation and close the -same during the return, whereby the label strips are held vunder tension by the holding jaws during lthe return of the feed jaws and/are vdelivered 'under tension step by step between saidjaws through the press and wound up automatically thereafter.

6. In a printing and feeder means for label strips, the combination of means for delivering la label strip through a power printing press, a pair 'of feed jaws Awith vtransverse extensions across said label strips to engage and feed the same step by step,

' a reciprocating feed carriage for said jaws, 65 a cam means for actuating said feed carriage comprising a cam on the cam shaft, a follower with bifurcated arms to embrace the said cam, a rocker arm connected tossaid cam follower, a lever arm pivoted to the frame with pitman for actuating said feed carriage, an adjustable pitnian between the'rocker arm andthe said actuating lever for reciprocating said carriage, a jaw actuating cam with flat ends disposed between the said feedy vjaws to open the same, a trip lever for said cam to open the said jaws and to trip to close the same, a slide with sto-ps disposed to act upon said lever at the end of the stroke of said feed carriage, one stop timed toopen said feed jaws at the end of the said stroke and one adjustably timed to trip to close the jaws at the beginning of the stroke, and a pair of holding aws fixed on the said. frame with transverse extensions across the said label strips in advance of the. feed jaws.

7. In a printing and feeder means for label strips, the combination of means for delivering a label strip through a power printing press, a pair of feed jawswith transverse extensions across said label strips to'engage and feed the same step by step, apair of holding jaws fixed on the said frame with transverse. extensions across lthe saidllabel strips v in advance of the feed jaws, a cam withtrip lever between said jawsfor actuating the h5p same, the said cam having flattened ends vto y lock the jaws in open position, a slide with stops to actuate said cam lever, one stop timed to open the jaws during the feeding movement and a` second timed to close the mo same at the end of the movement, and a cam for actuating said slide to open the said i jaws for the feeding operation and close the v same during the return, whereby the label strips are held under tension by the holding lor jaws during the return of the feed jaws and are delivered under tension step by ste-p between said jaws through the press and wound up automatically thereafter.

8. In a/printing and feeder means for label" l 1u strips, the combination of means for delivering a plurality of label strips through a power printing; press, a pair of feed jaws lwith transverse extensions across said labelstrips to engage and feed the same :step by step, laiand a pair of4 holding jaws fixed on the said frame with transverse extensions across the saidllabel strips in advance of the feed jaws andmeans for equalizing the feeding means.

' In wltness'whercof I have hereunto set my rzu hand.v

` GEORGE L. BIGNELL. 

